Improvement in fire-escapes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- T. JINGRAS.

FIRE-ESCAPE. v No.170-,270, Patented Nov.23,1875.

W. MM

2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

FIRE-ESGAPE.

Patented NovQZ3,1875.

N PETERS, FHOTO-LXTHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON. Dv C,

UNITED STATES THIMOTHE JINGBAS, on FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,270, dated November23, 1875; application filed October 18, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THIMOTHE J INGRAS, of Fall River, in the county ofBristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvenientsin Fire-Escapes for Buildings, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsmaking part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview representing my improved fire-escape applied to the upper portionof a building, a portion of its inclosingbox being broken away. Fig. 2is an elevation representing the escape lowered into aposition. for usefrom one of the floors beneath. Fig. 3 is a plan of the mechanism withinthe box, the escaping-basket removed; Fig. 4, a detail representing aportion of a hose provided with a hook, to be used in connection with myimproved fire-escape.

To provide areliable mechanism of simple construction by which theoccupants of a burning building may escape, and by which the firemen mayreadily have access to the different floors .to direct the water fromthe hose upon the flames, is the object of my invention; which consistsin a basket or car secured to a chain or its equivalent, passing over apulley or wheel pivoted at or near the outer end of a crane situated inor on the upper part ofa building, the crane being swung out and thebasket-chain .(wound on a reel) being projected so as to drop to thefoot of the building by mechanism connected with the crane, saidmechanism being operated by pulling a chain or wire leading down thebuilding and accessible from the different floors and from the ground,the basket or car being employed for lowering persons whose lives areendangered, and for elevating the fireman into a position where he candirect the stream of water upon the point required, by whichconstruction the difficulty and delay of moving and arranging ladders isavoided.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out. p

In the said drawings, A represents the outside or wall ofa building, atthe top of which,

either in line therewith or projecting therefrom, is acloset or box, B,provided with a door, a, kept closed by a spring-bolt, b, which iswithdrawn to unlock the door by pulling down on a chain, c, secured tothe bolt, and leading down outside the building into a positionaccessible from the door or window 01 of each floor, or from the ground,the door a being swung open by the contraction of a spring, 6,immediately'on the withdrawal of the bolt. Inclosed within this box Bisacrane,

- O, and a horizontal rocker-shaft, D, to a short arm, 5, of which isconnected the top of the crane by a chain, f, wound therearound, theshaft being provided with a long arm, g, projecting down therefrom, andhaving secured to its lower end a chain, h, which is led over a pulley,1', out through the wall and down outside the building into a positionalso accessible from the door or window (I of any floor or from theground. It is a looped arm projecting down from the shaft, immediatelyin front of which, upon the floor of the box, rests a basket or car, F,with a reel, G, in front of the chain passing over a pulley, m,revolving in the end of the crane, one end of the chain being secured tothe basket and the other to the reel.

From the foregoing construction it will be seen that on the alarm offire within the building, the door a of the box B may be readily swungopen by an occupant of either floor, or by a person on the sidewalkpulling down on the chain c, after which the chain It is pulled, causingthe end of the crane to be swung outside the door, simultaneous withwhich the projecting arm 70 is brought (through the connections aboveexplained) against the basket F, which, with the reel G in front of it,is pressed forward out of the closet B down outside the building, theweight of the chain Z around the reel causing them to fall to theground, and the basket to remain suspended ready to be lowered to thewindow or door of the floor where the occupants. desiring to escape aresituated, or to the ground, to allow of a fire- Before the escapingparties get into the basket the lower end of theichain l is hooked ATENTCFFIGE.

to a drum, H, turned by a crank, r, and the rapidity of the descent ofthe car is regulated by-pressing a brake, 8, down upon one of theflanges 6 of the drum H. the firemen being raised by turning the crank,so as to wind the chain around the drum.

The hose n is provided with a hook, p,by which, after being pointed inthe right direction, it may be secured in place in case the heat isuncomfortable or impossible to bear. It is evident that wire-ropes maybe substituted for the chains 0 h I, if desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The swinging crane G, basket F, reel G, and chain 1, in combinationwith a throwingout mechanism, actuated by a chain, h, accessi ble fromthe various floors or bottom of the building, substantially as and forthe purposes described. l

2. The drum H, with its brake s, in combie nation with the crane C,basket F, reel G, and

chain 1, as and for the purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 14th day of October,

' I his THIMOTHE Xk JIN mar Witnesses: A. M. WINSLOW ALEX. LESSARD.

